Shock absorbing gun mount



June 10, 1947. c. G. TRIMBACH 21,421,858

SHOCK ABSORBING GUN MOUNT INVENTOR. CLEM G'fmmnAcfl. w V I.

Filed Dec. 14, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 10, 1947. c. e. TRIMBACH SHOCK ABSORBING GUN MOUNT 4 Sheet S-Shee t 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1934 IN V EN TOR .TEIMBACH.

CLEM

' June 10, 1947. c. G. TRIMBACH 2,421,858

SHOCK ABSORBING GUN MOUNT Filed Dec. 14, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 r r v 7 1111111111!!! ,wunnul June 10, 1947. c. G. TRIMBACH 2,421,858

SHOCK ABSORBI NG GUN MOUNT Filed Dec. 14, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 g1; n L m Rm m n 1 mm P. J N m y N m 1T. 7 In. N m M...@ a; u Z 1 B a n m a M u a I a a w v m H 2 E E u w" J I Patented June 10, 1947 rum-reefstares PATENT forties SHOCK AnsoRBiNG GUNMOUNT Clem G, 'lirinrbach, Kenmore,-

assignor', :by msne assignments, to. CurtisgWright Gorpoati nacoipoiatien of New York 7 Application December 14, 1934, serial No". #57, 13'4 F? Claims; (0139-44) vThis invention relates to armament-,-.particula-rly as it relates to the mounting of guns in aircraft. 7

,qCurrent practice in aircraft, armament comprises the mounting of one or more machine guns of 430 inch caliber, either flexibly or fixedly. These guns are sufiiciently small'so that their recoil is not a serious factor requiring compensation; likewise theammunition, usually arranged in belts comprising separable metal links, is readil-y handled by the gunner; It is also known that larger caliber guns of the quick firing, as opposed to the machine -type, have been proposed foraircraft use, these larger guns beingmou'nted on'recoi-l mechanisms analogous to those usedin ground mounts. i

Machine guns of 3116150111011 calib'er type, though well known as ordnance for. ground use, have had little use in aircraft thus far, as their size lends them the characteristic of violent re.- ooil. Since their rate of'fire is high, it becomes necessary to provide specially designed mounting means, by which they maintain substantially the same maneuverability as the .30 caliber gun, while retaining their advantage of superior fire power. It is proposed to mount these larger guns on large aircraft, such as patrol flying boats, bombers and the like,

Objects of this invention are to provide a gun mount suitable for large caliber machine guns; to provide a recoil absorbing adapter for a large caliber machine gun; to provide agun mount incorporating recoilrabsorbing- ,reatures which, however, maintains the simplicity of construc. tion, lightness, dependabilityand ease of maintenance which has characterized gun mounts for smaller arms; to provide a large gun adapter which may be safely used on a gun mount primarily designed for smaller guns; to provide an improved ammunition container for machine gun ammunition; to provide a sa'cldle"type ammu ni-tion container arranged for attachment across the'topof a gun, and having'an integral compartment for the reception of elements of ex pended ammunition; and to provide animproved meanstor attaching a adapter toa mount. I 1

A further object is to" provide an improved" machine guns.-

Although the showings of the drawings relate primarily to mounts: of the flexible type, it will be apparentthat certain features of the invention are equally applicable t'c-fixed gun in-: stallations'.

trigger and aiming organization for large caliber The invention may be more clearly understood by viewing the annexed drawings, in which:

' Fig. .1 is a plan of a gun mounted according to .my invention;

Fig, 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4- 1 of Fig. 3;

Fig- 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the gun cradle and flexible mounting yoke;

Fig, '6 is-a jraginenta'ry plan of a portion of the gun cradle;

Figs. "7 and 8 are sections on the lines 7-7 and 8=-'-8,=,respectively,'of Fig. 6;

Fig9 is afragmentary plan of another portion of the gun cradle; 7 Figs. 10 and 1-1 ares'e'ctions on the lines 1 @'H3 arid-1| l -11, respectively, of Fig. 9; and.

Fig 12 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section-, of the holding yoke.

Briefly, the 1 nd t of this invention coinprisesiayokehaving a ntr'al shank ngag'eable with the mere or i'ss'eenveaaemi socket of a flexible gun-mew; Between the upper spaced ends of the yolie', a retrieving case for empty cartridge cases is swingably attached, and a pair or -inward y facingshoes carry a ring to which a cradle is fixedly attached. The cradle carries'han'dg'rips at one end. thereof, and adjacent OfIle fpf ptifl'e" handles, a trigger is mounted. The gun is" carried by the cradle through mechanism byw oh the gun may reciprocate in a direction para lei-"t'olth fnre. Thus, the recall of trieving case for the separable chain belt links ejected fromthe ;g-un,- and likewise ybeing provided means for charging ammunition from the container into the gun. I also provide means for holding the ammunition in its proper position while-dismounted from the gun; this means being automatically disengaged from the ammunition when the container is installed inposition on the gun. r

tension 25, a substantially rectangular :key 26 is; inserted, this key having an elongated slot 21 engaged by a pin 28 anchored in the-extension25. The key 26 is movable between lockingand 1111-.- locking positions, the locking position being shown in solid lines in Fig. 12, and the unlocking posi-,.

To lock the yoke 22 to the I socket, after insertion of the shank 23 therein,"

tion in dotted lines.

the key is turned about the pin 28 and pushed laterally so that the upper-surfaces of the key engage the lowersur'facesof the socket 24. A spring-pressed pin 29 carried by.the shank 23 engages a notch in the key to retain it 'in'position. To disengage theyoke from the 'socket, the key 23 is pushed sideways and twisted downwardly, after which the yoke may be freely withdrawn. 1

At the u'pper'ends-of the yoke, aligned bolts 30 pass through the yoke ends and carry blocks 3| facing each other, each block being formed with an arcuate groove adapted to engage-with a ring element 32 having side faces complementary to the grooves in the blocks-3|: This ,ring element is riveted to a cradle'33 extending forwardly and rearwardly from the yoke. This organization of the mounting ofthe cradle with respect to the yoke permits of lateral tilting of thecradle, while elevation and depression of the cradle is provided through the medium of the bolts 30. Between the blocks 3| and the inner faces of the yoke ends, an ammunition retrieving case 34 is hung, this casehaving a capacity for empty cartridge cases substantially equivalent to the capacity of the loaded ammunitioncontainer hereinafter to be described. The cradle, at its rearward end,.is provided with a pair of laterally spaced aiming grips 35 by which the cradle-may be elevated or depressed about thebolts 30, or may be tilted by virtue of the mounting of the cradle with respect to the blocks 3|, or may be traversed by virtue of the pivotal connection of'the shank 23 in the socket 24. The cradle is provided with four substantially similar recoil-absorbing units 36, one pair being spaced ahead of the bolts 30, and the other pair being spaced behind the bolts 30. The

forward and rearward units 36 are respectively" laterally spaced from each other toaccommodate the gun l therebetween." Each unit 36 comprises a cylindrical guideway 31 rigidly mounted on the cradle 33, each guideway having open guideswithin which a sliding block-38 may be inserted. Each block 38 may'slide forwardly and rearwardly in the guideway 31,'an'd springs 39 and 40 are placed between each end of the block 38 and the respective ends of the guideway 31. Each block 38 is provided with a central lateral bore to receive a bolt 4l,-one such bolt passing through the bores of the forward blocks-38, and another such bolt passing through the rearward blocks 38. The forward gun mounting' lugs are en- ;aged' by the forward bolt 41, and the rearward run mounting lugs 2| are engaged by'the rear- By this mounting arrangement," zhe gun, with the bolts 4| and the blocks 38, has

yard bolt 4 I.

coil, acting upon the yoke 22, 138 pounds. amount of recoil may be readily assumed by the a limited reciprocatlve movement forward and rearwardly, parallel to the line of fire of the gun. The springs 40 serve to check recoil of the gun, and the springs 39 serve to check counter-recoil of the gun. In actual practice, a .50 caliber machine gun has a recoil amounting to 490 pounds. This recoil is reduced bythe recoil check IE to the extent-of- 30%, and the recoil is, further reduced by the recoil springs 40 to the extent of an additional 60%, making the net intensity officyoke and the balance of the gun mount, and

approaches closely the same value which accrues in the mounting of a smaller .30 caliber machine gun rigidly mounted. Thus, the gun mount of this invention, comprising a cradle and recoil mechanism, may be used inter-changeably on those types of standard flexible gun mounts primarily designed for the .30 caliber machine gun. The normal amount of recoil travel in accordance with a specific design of the springs 39 and 40, is on the order of three-quarters of an inch, this distance representing the movement of the gunwith respect to the cradle 33. Since the aiming grips 35 are mounted on the cradle, they are not subjected to this violent movement, and the gunner, by aiming the cradle rather than the gun, is relieved of the intense gun recoil. 1

One of the grips 35 carries a finger trigger 44 connected by a flexible Bowden cable 45 to the gun actuating mechanism l9. Thus, the gun with all its fixed attachments, including the ac-; tuating mechanism, is movable with respect to the cradle, while the trigger is always movable with the cradle and not with the gun during reciprocation of the latter.

. Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the g His-provided with a bottom opening 46, through which empty cartridges are ejected into the car-' tridge retrieving case 34. Since the gun is tiltable with repect to the case 34, though being movable therewith in elevation and depression,- the top receiving opening of the case 34 is provided with baffles 41, spring-hinged at 48 to the case 3 3, and bearing outwardly against a fitting 49 movable in tilt with the gun. Thus, regard-- less of the angle of tiltof the gun, cartridge cases may be ejected from the gun into the retrieving case without danger of being lost or jammedin the mechanism.

A loaded ammunition case 50 is organized to straddle the top of the gun and toextend transversely on either side thereof. Lug-s 5| on the container engage with fixed hooks 52 on the gun, at the forward side of the container, whilelugs 0n the rearward side of the container are engaged by a releasing clip 53 carried by the gun. The container 50. comprises an upper compartment 54 containing belted ammunition, and with an integrally mounted lower container 55 for the reception of the separable belt links. The compartment 55 is located on one side of the gun; opposite the belt link ejecting opening thereof, the compartment having an entrance opening for such links at 56. The compartment for loaded ammunition in the present embodiment is adapted to carry a loaded belt of forty-eight rounds of ammunition, the loaded belt starting at the point 5'! and :being laid in three alternate layers in the main body of the compartment.- That end' of the belt which feeds to the gun passes close. tothe inner surface of the outer wall of the com-A partment 54, and is laid over a star wheel organ-z 5. ization. .58 mounted on a..sshaft 59 extending through-the side wall oi -.the: icontainerg'j shaft. is provided with a hand wheel 601by. which the heltedwammunition maybe fed into jthe'loading chamber of the gun when the containertfl is .installedthereon. From the star wheel assembly 58, ammunitionis directed through a chute 6| having a delivery openin '62 opposite the ammunition feed chuteof the gun. This chute 6 is defined at its upper boundary by a baiile 63 which extends asa guard around the star wheel assembly '58 to-a, point- 64 which is spaced from the 'top oft-he ammunition container a suflicient distance to permit the passage of the loaded belt thereby. Th baffle 63 also serves to prevent the belt'lbecoming-fouled with the star-wheel-assembly when loading the container.

Since the .50 caliber ammunition is relatively heavy, it is desirable to provide means to prevent inadvertent displacement thereof from the contamer when dismounted from the gun, and alsoto hold the ammunition in such a position that when the container is mounted on the gun, the ammunition may be fed thereto with a minimum loss of time. To this end, a pawl 65 is hinged adjacent the exit opening 62 on a spring hinge 66, so that the pawl is engaged between two rounds of ammunition whereby the belt is firmly held in place. Upon mounting of the container on the gun, an extension 61 of the pawl 65 engages with a suitable lug 68 on the gun, lifting the pawl out of engagement with the ammunition and permitting it to feed freely to the gun.

The container 50 is provided with a suitable handle 69 carried by hinged cover 18 which may be opened to permit loading of belted ammunition. In operation, a plurality of loaded cases 50 will be carried in suitable racks near the gun and :after expenditure of the ammunition in any one case, the case is removed and replaced by another. The separable belt links will be kept in the compartment 55 of each case, so that when the cases are returned to the armory for recharging, the belt links may lbe there removed for re-use.

As previously pointed out in greater detail, the cradle organization of this invention permits the mounting of a, large caliber machine gun on a gun mount primarily designed for smaller armament, and at the same time, permits the high degree of flexibility for the large caliber gun, of which the small caliber gun is capable. The cradle arrangement of this invention relieves from a gunner, and from the gun mount, excessive strains which would normally be expected in the mounting of a large gun, and thus permits greater accuracy of fire.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine gun mount, a cradle support, said cnadle having a plurality of longitudinal guideway-s on each longitudinal side thereof and on opposite sides of said cradle support, an elenent mounted for reciprocation on each said guideway, a recoil and a counter recoil buifer toting between said cradle [and the rearward and forward faces, respectively, of each said element,

and a plurality pf members-each engaging a pair of said elements, reciprocabletherewtth;upon which a. machine gun is adapted to be fixedly attached. I y i i 2. In a machine gun mount, a cradle, a pivotal support for said cradle, said cradle having spaced pairs of guideways, each pair comprising guideways on opposite sides of'said support laterally spaced from one another and lying substantially at the edges of the cradle, an-element mounted for reciprocation on each said guideway,.abutmen-ts associated with each guideway ahead of and; behind each said element, counter recoiland IYQQQll lDUfiGIfS mounted between the respective abntrnentsand each said element, and across embern a n he em n of each ai organized :asto receive the mounting lugs of'a machine gun.

3. In a gun mount, in combination, a cradle, a support for said cradle, pairs of longitudinally spaced axially parallel guides on said cradle and disposed on opposite sides of said cradle support, each pair comprising laterally spaced guides, an element longitudinally slidable in each guide,

and a membe joining the sliding elements of.

each pair of guides, said members being organized to receive a machine gun.

4. In a gun mount, in combination, a cradle, a support for said cradle, pairs of longitudinally spaced axially parallel guides on said cradle and disposed on opposite sides of said cradle support, each pair comprising laterally spaced guides, an element longitudinally slidable in each guide, a member joining the sliding elements of each pair of guides, said members being organized to receive a machine gun, and resilient means in each said guide acting upon said element to urge the latter toward a central position in the guide.

5. In a gun mount, in combination, a cradle, a' support for said cradle, pairs of longitudinally spaced axially parallel guides on said cradle and disposed on opposite sides of said cradle support, each pair comprising laterally spaced guides, an element longitudinally slidable in each guide, a member joining the sliding elements of each pair of guides, said members being organized to receive a machine gun, resilient means in each said guide acting upon said element to urge the latter toward a central position in the guide, and aiming and firing means for the mounted gun carried directly on said cradle.

6. A mount for a gun having two pairs of laterally spaced mounting lugs, comprising a cradle, a forward and an after guide on each side of said carriage, each said guide having abutment means at each end, a spring in each end of said guide against the respective abutment means, means interposed between the springs in each said guide, a first transverse member connecting said interposed means in the two forward guides and a second transverse member connecting said interposed means in the two after guides, each of said transverse members cooperating with one of said pairs of lugs to mount the gun.

7. In a gun mount, in combination, a supporting yoke, a cradle pivotally supported by said yoke, said cradle having mounted thereon a plurality of axially parallel, longitudinally and laterally spaced guideways, said guideways being disposed on both sides of said cradle support, a member slidable in each guideway, means joining certain of said slidable members adapted to engage with portions of a mounted gun, and a coil spring for each guideway bearing at its one end on its asso- 7 ciated slldable member and at its other end on an end of said. guideway.

CLEM G. 'IRIMBACH. REFERENCES CITED Ihe foliowing references are of record in the,

file of this patent:v V

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date 1,483,987 Rockwell -1 Feb. 19, 1924 1,735,164 Green Nov, 12, 1929 347,945 Maxim Aug. 24, 1886 453,702 Maxim June 9, 1891 1,722,190 Bergmann et a1. July 23, 1929 1,757,244 Green May 6, 1930 Number Number 0 652,463 I 27,090 283,609 126,406

OTHER REFERENCES 15 Photograph on'page 1 of Aug. 12, 1917, issue of Washington Sunday Star of Interest, 

